In a riveting scene in the film Wall Street, Gordon Gekko proclaims, 'Greed is good'. The great philosopher David Hume, on the contrary, describes greed as the most destructive of the vices. The banking debacle and the continuing row about bonuses has placed the controversial issue of greed at the very heart of how we view our society. Is Gekko's maxim merely in need of some moderation? After all, incentives are essential to achieve results. Or is it Hume who, uncharacteristically in this instance, lacks moderation? His claim be greed is 'directly destructive of society'. Can this be true? This example of Hume's reasoning illustrates very clearly his attachment to the idea of 'a science of man' rather than religion or sentiment as a basis for moral, social and political practice. Sutherland examines this science and questions its practical applications for the modern age.
